Catalan Official Accuses EU Of Tacitly Backing Madrid

The European Union is tacitly backing the Spanish government’s “repressive actions” to prevent the Catalan region from holding a weekend independence referendum, a leading Catalan official charged Thursday.

The official, Raul Romeva, urged the 28-nation EU to end its silence and defend its founding treaty guaranteeing democratic norms, which he alleged Madrid is now violating.

“Failing to rise its voice, failing even to call for a political dialogue as it seems to be the case so far is not neutral,” Romeva told a press conference in Brussels.

“This is perceived by the Spanish state as an endorsement of the repressive actions” it is carrying out, said Romeva, who handles foreign affairs for the regional government.

The Catalan government’s plans to hold an independence vote on Sunday in defiance of court orders ruling it illegal have triggered large protests in Barcelona and a major crackdown from Madrid.

However, EU officials have stayed doggedly tight-lipped even as diplomats privately voice serious concern at a situation some regard as a challenge to fundamental European values.

Officials from the European Commission, the EU executive, have repeatedly fended off questions on the Catalan crisis with variations on the same response: “The commission respects Spain’s constitutional order and legal framework.”

But Romeva called on the European Commission and the European Parliament to “stand for values and principles enshrined” in the founding treaties.

“Civil rights are being violated as I speak and the quality of democracy in Spain is eroding day after day,” he said.

Analysts have said that an independent Catalonia would trigger a crisis the EU would find hard to manage as it would energise separatist movements in other European countries.